Amazon is reportedly working on plans to create a vast database of products sold across the internet, including those available exclusively through rival retailers, as it looks to strengthen its position in the rapidly expanding AI shopping market.

According to Reuters, the initiative, known internally as the World Product Graph, would collect detailed information about products from across the web and make it accessible through Amazon’s platform.

The strategy is aimed at keeping consumers within Amazon’s ecosystem rather than losing them to Google, Reddit or competing shopping websites when researching potential purchases.

It could also give Amazon an advantage as AI-powered shopping assistants increasingly influence purchasing decisions.

By creating one of the world’s most comprehensive product databases, Amazon could encourage third-party AI shopping agents to rely on its information, potentially directing more consumers towards its marketplace.

The company has already taken steps in this direction with Shop Direct, a feature introduced last year that allows shoppers to discover products from retailers outside Amazon.

The proposed database could also address shortcomings in Amazon’s own AI shopping assistant, previously called Rufus and now known as Alexa for Shopping.

An internal document obtained by Reuters reportedly acknowledges that many responses generated by the assistant contain inaccurate or incomplete information.

The company is also understood to be looking for ways to reduce the substantial computing costs associated with AI-powered product searches.

Expanding the amount of structured product information available could improve the assistant’s accuracy while allowing Amazon to use less expensive AI models.

However, the project faces significant challenges, particularly in gathering and organising information from thousands of brands and competing retail websites.

Internal planning documents suggest Amazon would need to determine how individual brands structure their online product catalogues, potentially requiring extensive website crawling and data collection.

The documents reportedly reference October 1, 2027, as a possible launch date, although there is no confirmation the project will proceed.

Amazon has cautioned against interpreting the documents as evidence of a confirmed strategy, saying early planning material does not necessarily represent its current intentions.

If the project goes ahead, it could further consolidate Amazon’s influence over online retail, extending its reach beyond selling products to controlling a major source of information used by consumers and AI shopping services.